


Love doesn't cost a thing

by MissLii



Series: Love doesn't cost a thing [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Christmas Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 08:56:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5410745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissLii/pseuds/MissLii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>Louis and Liam exchange gifts, their first Christmas together.</em><br/> </p><p>Or: Louis is still wearing the red jumper, matching the one Liam’s got on. Liam’s mum knitted them and looked so proud of her work that Liam loves them. Louis should look ridiculous with the white reindeer and snowflakes on it, Liam thinks fondly, but he’s actually really hot in it. </p><p>Though, Liam always finds him fit so it shouldn’t be surprising. With the fabric pushed up to his elbow, the tattoos on his lower arms are visible, and Liam loves the scatters of ink a lot. </p><p>They still have to exchange their gifts, having decided to do that part in their own home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love doesn't cost a thing

**Author's Note:**

> I'm doing a fic give away [thing](http://pandadepanda.tumblr.com/post/134934781539/fic-give-away), over at my Tumblr. This is the first fic, but there might be more than two.

 They’re finally at home, after having spent a few hours at his parents’ house and a few at Louis’ mum’s house. It’s the first Christmas they spend together, properly. The year before they’d just begun dating, Louis having come in to buy himself a tea at the coffee shop where Liam used to work extra.

 

Louis came back. Over and _over_ until Liam finally realised that Louis really meant it when he flirted with him.

 

Liam’s mum wasn't really sure what she should think of Louis at first, with him being older, with tattoos and a lot richer than Liam. She thought he’d take advantage of Liam, no matter how many times he told her he could take care of himself. She warmed up quickly to him, luckily, realising how in love Louis was with Liam even back then.

 

He’s still got glitter in his hair, put there by Louis’ little sisters, who might be cute and lovely but still are tiny little monsters. Lovely monsters, that is. They wanted to play most of the time he was there.

 

It’s been nice, but it’s late and he’s a bit sleepy even though he half slept, listening to Louis softly singing along to the radio, the whole way home.

 

Louis is still wearing the red jumper, matching the one Liam’s got on. Liam’s mum knitted them and looked so proud of her work that Liam loves them. Louis should look ridiculous with the white reindeer and snowflakes on it, Liam thinks fondly, but he’s actually really hot in it.

 

Though, Liam always finds him fit so it shouldn’t be surprising. With the fabric pushed up to his elbow, the tattoos on his lower arms are visible, and Liam loves the scatters of ink a lot.

 

They still have to exchange their gifts, having decided to do that part in their own home. Well, at Louis’ house, really. Liam doesn’t live there, even though he’s got his own drawer and only visits his dorm room because he misses Niall when he’s been away for too long.

 

So, maybe he lives there a _little_ bit; he knows where to find everything and his mum sends his post there. He doesn’t pay rent, though. Louis won’t take his money as long as he’s still at school. Liam’s not totally keen on it, but Louis is right about him needing it to pay for his course literature.

 

Money might be the only thing they’ve really fought about. Louis doesn’t see it as a problem that he pays for more than Liam, and while Liam’s gotten used to it, he doesn’t want anyone to think that he uses Louis for his money.

 

He didn’t even know about that part until their date number three when Liam had come home with Louis. _Hell_ , he didn’t even realise it properly then. Louis had on a pair of soft grey joggers, with holes on them, the first time he came into the coffee shop.

 

The second time he wore skinny jeans that made Liam blush because of how tight they were, and how good Louis looked in them.

 

It took weeks of Louis spoiling him with silly little gifts and picking up his card before Liam had a chance at even trying to pay for their date before he realised. Liam tried harder after that, bickering with Louis until he promised to let Liam pay. Sometimes.

 

Now they have a limit for what the gifts are allowed to cost, thanks to Liam. He didn’t want Louis to spend a lot on him when his own budget wasn’t that big this year.

 

He might have bribed Louis with kisses to get his way, but now he knows that Louis won’t have spent more than fifty pounds on him. It feels good, even though Louis complained a bit -- _a lot_ \-- about it, at first. Then he must have realised Liam was right, since he’s not heard a word about it the last week.

 

As soon as he sees the three, the gifts underneath it, he becomes all the more awake again. He might be twenty and not a kid anymore -- his mum might think so still -- but the sight makes him giddy, hands itching with need to open the pretty gift wrap.

 

“Come on.” Louis gives Liam’s cheek a light pat, grinning brightly. “Time to open your gifts, babe.”

 

Liam sighs, shrugging like he couldn’t care less. He’s not even able to keep the grin off his face for more than a second, his cheeks dimpling and eyes squeezing shut with how hard he smiles.

 

“Might have forgotten to buy you something,” he teases, giggling when Louis’ hand pokes him in the side. Just where he’s the most ticklish.

 

“It’s not like I’ve not seen the gift already,” Louis says fondly, shaking his head. “You did put it under the three this morning.”

 

Liam feels like he should have realised. He does know Louis, after all. “Well,” he says, tugging at Louis’ messed up fringe with his fingers. It doesn’t come out looking any better, maybe makes him look even more like a hedgehog. “I put it there after you left the room.”

 

Louis makes a weak attempt at pinching Liam’s nipple between his fingers, twisting like he does when he wants Liam’s attention and doesn’t have it. He smiles softly when Liam takes his hand.

 

“I had to put your gifts there,” Louis says with his eyebrows arched high. “Knew you’d not be able to keep your grabby hands off of them.”

 

“You like my grabby hands,” Liam murmurs, giggling when Louis looks delighted and shrugs as if it’s _of course_ he does.

 

He lets Louis lead him to the sofa, watching him as he goes to get the gifts. He’s restless like he was when he really was a kid, almost vibrating on spot. He’s sure Louis’ things will be better, not a soppy romantic as his, and he can’t wait to open them.

 

“Here you go,” Louis says, dropping the gifts in Liam’s lap.

 

Liam makes a noise when Louis sits down just next to him, almost making the gifts slip off his lap. He forgets about complaining when Louis bundles him up in a hug, biting his neck gently before he shuffles around to make himself comfortable.

 

They sit so close together on the sofa that they’d been able to fit in one of the armchairs -- they do, have tried that out too -- but it’s so nice to have one of Louis’ legs over his thighs, his arm pressed up against his own, that Liam’d not have it any other way.

 

One of the gifts is rather big with colourful wrapping paper. The other one is a small black box with a big, golden bow on. Liam feels a bit bad about how small his gift is compared, but Louis looks happy and content, squeezing the soft gift as if he’d be able to tell what it is by doing so.

 

“You’ve bought me new pants, love?” Louis wiggles his eyebrows, making a face that’s more silly than sexy.

 

Liam rolls his eyes, feeling nothing but fond. “You want to open yours first?” Liam asks, a bit nervous even though he knows that Louis will like it. He’s softer than he wants people to think.

 

It’s not pants, even though he does like Louis in a pair of them. He bites his teeth into his lip as he waits for Louis to open the gift.

 

Louis is silent as he reads the note that he put in with the dark blue pair of mittens -- a gift Liam bought because Louis is always cold, sticking his hands inside Liam’s jacket to warm himself whenever he can.

 

The note is the real present, though.

 

“Oh,” Louis breathes out happily. Then he frowns, probably because he’ll have to wait for the real gift. A bike ride isn’t something you do in December. His patience is not the best. “I love this idea, babe. Was the best first date, well worth the scrapes on my hands.”

 

Liam gives Louis a crinkly-eyed smile, pleased that Louis does like his idea to take Louis on their first date once again. “You’re the one who’s not able to stay on your bike, Lou.”

 

“You’re too cute not to look at,” Louis says with a lazy shrug. “So you’re partly to blame.” He’s smiling as he says it, seemingly unbothered that he made a bit of a fool of himself on the date.

 

There’s a second part to the note, a naughtier part, but that’s hidden underneath Louis’ pillow. Hopefully, Louis hasn’t found that one yet.

 

“Now it’s your turn,” Louis says, nodding towards the bigger present. He puts his hand high up on Liam’s thigh, curling even closer now that he’s done.

 

Liam hums to himself as he opens up the first gift, the big one that Louis points at. He’s careful with the paper, filled with glittery snowmen. It looks like Louis’ wrapped it himself, the folded corners uneven.

 

“Louis,” he scolds gently as he opens the box inside. The light brown boots can’t have cost under fifty. “You _didn’t_.”

 

“Well,” Louis says easily, looking mischievous is a way Liam loves when he’s a part of Louis’ games. “They were on sale?”

 

To be honest, Liam didn’t really think Louis would keep it under fifty. He was a bit _too_ quiet about it. The boots are lovely, the leather soft under his fingers as he touches them. Liam can’t be mad at Louis when he looks so sheepish, so pretty and soft in his Christmas jumper.

 

“I love them,” he says instead of pointing out that Louis obviously is lying. He’s not even trying to hide it, his voice so unconvincing that Liam wants to laugh.

 

Instead, he takes the next gift, holding it in his hand. It doesn’t weigh much, and for a short moment, he thinks that there might be a ring in it. His heart thumps hard in his chest, but he’s pretty sure he’d say yes if Louis asked.

 

“Liam,” Louis whines, biting his shoulder. It stings even through the layers of fabric. “Open it.”

 

It’s not a ring, but it still shines with gold -- fake probably, since it’s a pair of cufflinks shaped like Batman’s symbol.

 

“These are so nice,” Liam says, smacking a kiss on Louis’ cheek. “You’re bloody amazing.”

 

Louis smiles as hard as he does, but still says, “I’d rather given you something proper cool. Like a pair with Iron Man. They’d to do, though.”

 

Louis knows Batman is his favourite superhero. Louis would never give him something else, no matter how much he likes to tease Liam.

 

Liam huffs out a laugh, admiring the cufflinks. He only ever wears suits when he’s at an event with Louis, when Louis himself has got on a pair of skinny jeans with his jacket. Now he wants to wear a suit a lot more often.

 

“Merry Christmas,” Louis murmurs, kissing him softly. Liam’s still holding onto the small box as Louis pushes him back into the soft cushions.

 

At some point, when Liam’s started to feel warm in his jumper and with Louis pressing hotly against him, he lets go of the box and drags Louis even closer.

 

He won’t go to bed until they’ve found them again.

 

\-- -- --

 

When Louis is in the bathroom, brushing his teeth, Liam sends a quick text to Niall. _Merry ‘christmas, mate. Look what Louis got meee!_

 

There’s a pretty good picture with the text, the cufflinks shiny and so, _so_ pretty. Liam can’t wait to try them on.

 

Liam gets an answer at once. Then comes another, just as quickly. The first one just is a bunch of emojis, that reads out as Niall wishing him a merry Christmas, too. The banana emoji mixed in, it probably has to do with Niall’s new boyfriend, who’s weirdly into bananas.

 

The second text is a line of dollar bill emojis. A very long line.

 

Liam looks at the picture again, tries to figure out if they look that expensive. They’re nice, yes, but he really thought they were from one of those cheaper shops where nothing costs more than ten pounds.

 

He’s still frowning at the picture when Louis joins him on the bed. He’s lost the Christmas jumper, only wearing a pair of boxers that sits low on his hips. Not even that is enough to make Liam forget about the thought that’s popped up in his head.

 

“ _Why_ does Niall think my gift was expensive?” Liam asks, showing Louis his phone.

 

Louis stills, stopping in the middle of a movement like he’s been caught with his hand down the cookie-jar. “Maybe because it was,” he says slowly.

 

Liam feels himself starting to get angry. Both about the fact that his gift seems so small, stupid even, when his boyfriend bought him two expensive gifts. But also that Louis didn’t keep his part of the deal.

 

Then Louis grabs his hand, looking painfully earnest as he says, “Don’t be mad at me, I _promise_ to be better next year. Will buy you a bloody gift card at Tesco, if that makes you happy.”

 

The way Louis says it, how sure he seems that they’ll still be together next year, makes the anger go away as quickly as is came. Instead if shouting, like he was about to do, he smacks Louis gently on the back of his head, grumbling, “You’re such an idiot. But I love you.”

 

“I just had to buy them to you,” Louis says, nuzzling Liam’s shoulder. Then he takes Liam’s phone, tossing at the end of the bed. At least, this time, it stayed there, not bouncing off it like many times before. “Zayn showed me them at work, and I just knew you’d love them. Thought, fuck it if they cost too much. Liam will smile.”

 

Liam’s so gone for Louis; he knows he’d probably have done the same thing, if he was the one with money.

 

“You’ve something under your pillow,” he says, leaving the part about him being as bad as Louis in his head. Louis already knows that, too.

 

He also knows that Louis will love the next part of the gift, but he’s still blushing. Maybe not because of Louis reading it, but because of that they’ll be doing something so filthy. Again.

 

Louis’ eyes widen as he reads the note. Then he laughs throatily, a smirk playing on his lips as he says, “On my desk. Really?”

 

Liam gives Louis a faux-innocent look, shrugging. “Thought you liked it the last time.” Liam’s cheeks feel warm, but his stomach does too. It was fun the last time, scary in a way that made in exciting.

 

He’s never tried to keep quiet as hard.

 

“Oh, I did,” Louis murmurs, curling his hand around the back of Liam’s neck.

 

Next year, he might give Louis something that costs more. Though, maybe he won’t; he really likes how desperately Louis kisses him, the note forgotten next to him on the bed. He seems to like Liam’s gift rather a lot.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! [Tumblr post, if you want to like/reblog!](http://pandadepanda.tumblr.com/post/132483828244/fic-we-are-now-lirry)


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